Shrimp stuffed Tamales are a delicious Mexican dish served best as a party food. The shrimp cook as the tamales steam, so they’re tender and perfectly done.A favorite during the Cinco de Mayo celebrations!
Table of Contents
What is a Tamale?
“Tamales are a part of Mexico’s collective consciousness….a celebration of its own…carried into the middle of all parties” ~ Rick Bayless in his book, Mexico, One plate at a time.
A tamale is a traditional Meso-American and South American dish, made of masa or corn dough mix, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chilies or any preparation according to taste.
They are steamed or boiled in a corn husk. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate.
What do Tamales signify?
Tamales signify a labor of love for Mexican families and are served during festival times with friends and family. They are a hot party favorite during Mexican festivals like Cinco de Mayo.
Emergence of Mexican cuisine
Mexican cuisine with its fortitude has survived the intimate intermingling of Spanish & French colonialism. It has lasted through the traverse of Asian goods in its terrain for centuries. Mexico’s cuisine has emerged stronger, more complex and more delicious in spite of its maniacal dictators and multinational corporate invasion.
What is Cinco de Mayo?
“Cinco de Mayo” (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a celebration held each on the 5th of May. It is celebrated in the United States and in Mexico.
This celebration of Mexican culture and heritage grew in popularity in larger communities of Mexican American population in areas like Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston initially and then spread across the whole of the United States in the later parts of the century.
As the city gets busy for the “Cinco de Mayo” celebrations, being a part of the celebrations of the latino culture & cuisine helps big time at the Fiesta !
History of how tamales came to be
Food is the most vivid expression of any culture.
Tamales are to Mexican food what BBQ is to the South.
The origin of tamales can be traced back to the conquest of Aztecs,Mayan and Incan cultures.Tamales are recorded in the pre-Colombian history, when women were taken to the battle as army cooks.
Then as the armies grew, the demands for readying the corn became overwhelming .The need for more portable sustaining food became essential, says the literature on food and thus was born the tamales .
How to make tamales from scratch?
Here is a link for the step by step tutorial on “How to Make Tamales”, if you haven’t made it before (courtesy :Gimme Some Oven)
Shrimp Stuffed Tamales Recipe
Tamales have emerged in all different variation, today I chose to make the stuffed shrimp Tamales .
Nutrition Facts
- Amount Per ServingCalories1020
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 43g 67%
- Saturated Fat 27g 135%
- Cholesterol 58mg 20%
- Sodium 68mg 3%
- Potassium 941mg 27%
- Total Carbohydrate 149g 50%
- Dietary Fiber 15g 60%
- Sugars 8g
- Protein 19g 38%
- Vitamin A 40%
- Vitamin C 33%
- Calcium 28%
- Iron 78%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
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Some of my recipes published using shrimp/prawns are listed below for your interest .
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/the-ultimate-beginners-guide-to-fish-and-seafood/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/shrimp-prawn-jinga-biryani/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/malaysian-butter-prawns/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/malabar-spinach-n-prawn-gravy-basale-yetti-gravy/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/sweet-sour-prawns/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/spicy-skewered-prawns/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/prawn-mint-pulao/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/methi-fenugreek-prawn-masala/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/prawn-tikka-masala/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/spicy-prawn-masala/